Russian Divisional Organisations
The subject of Red Army Divisions is too vast to address properly here, so only a token description is included. For further study I recommend the Red Army Handbook, detailed on the Published works and Websites page.
The Rifle Division
Divisional Headquarters
Three Infantry Regiments, each comprised of;
Regimental HQ, included mounted and infantry reconnaissance platoons
Infantry Gun Battery, serving four 76 mm guns in two Platoons
Anti Tank Gun Battery, serving six 45 mm guns in three Platoons
Heavy Mortar Battery, serving four, later six and eventually eight 120 mm mortars in Platoons of two
Sub Machine Gun Company, 100 men in HQ of 7 and three Platoons of 31, added mid 1941 to early 1942 (doubled to two Companies in late 1944)
Anti Tank Rifle Company, serving 27 rifles in three Platoons of 9, added late 1941 to early 1942
Three Rifle Battalions
Divisional Artillery
Initially;
Two Field Battalions, each with two Gun and one Howitzer Battery of four guns apiece
Two Light Battalions, each with three Batteries of four howitzers each
One Medium Battalion, with three Batteries of four howitzers each
Latterly;
Two Battalions, with two 76 mm and one 122 mm Batteries, four guns per Battery. This was increased to three Battalions, then the third lost one of its 76 mm Batteries.
Finally (late 1944);
One Regiment of five 76 mm Batteries, one of five 122 mm Batteries and one of five 120 mm mortar Batteries. Four weapons per Battery.
Anti Tank Battalion, serving twelve 45 mm guns in three Batteries, gradually re-armed with 76 mm guns.
Anti Aircraft support was removed and replaced intermittently
Combat Support
Pioneer Battalion, three later two Companies
Reconnaissance Company, HQ and three motorised rifle Platoons
Machine Gun Battalion, three Companies, each with nine MMG's in three Platoons. Later reinforced with twelve gun Anti Tank Rifle Company (Battalion deleted late 1942)
Points of note
There were a profusion of units under Regimental command, which given the inadequate communications available must have been difficult to control. This account does not reflect the period of late 1941 to mid 1942 when mortars of all calibres were concentrated into their own Battalion units.
The Tank Corps
Corps Headquarters
Three Tank Brigades, each comprised of;
Brigade HQ
Initially two 'Mixed' Tank Battalions, later one Light and one Medium Battalion
One Motor Rifle Battalion
One Anti Aircraft Battery, with three 37 mm AA guns, replaced by;
One Anti Tank Battery with four 76 mm AT guns
Latterly;
Three Medium Tank Battalions
One Motor Sub Machine Gun Battalion
One Anti Aircraft Company, with nine 12.7 mm guns in three Platoons of three
Mechanised Brigade
Three Mechanised Infantry Battalions
One Field Battalion, with twelve 76 mm guns in three Batteries of four
Anti Tank Rifle Company, with eighteen weapons
Mortar Battalion, with twelve 82 mm and four 120 mm tubes
Reconnaissance Company, three Infantry and one Armoured Car Platoons
Combat Support
Reconnaissance Battalion with twenty Armoured Cars
Rocket Launcher Battalion with eight Katyusha
Pioneer Company, later Battalion
Points of note
Substantial Assault Gun elements were also added in varying allocations. In the second half of 1944, a twenty four gun Field Regiment with 76 mm guns was also added.
The Tank Corps was the Red Army 'Armoured Division' in Western terms. However, it probably never surpassed 12,000 all ranks. It provided a formidable collection of armoured fighting vehicles.
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Reduced Strength Rifle Battalions